I shot these photos on the new Pentax Optio WG II with GPS. The he camera dazzled me and we had a great three days. After 3 days I imported the photos and video into my Mac Book Air, via Aperture 3.

The water proof, macro, high-speed video (+ dozens of other features,) Pentax camera did a good job. With a little bit of help from Aperture 3 and Final Cut Pro X, the images became presentable.

It is not a DSLR. The camera is compact and affordable. It is, what it is. The camera really does a GREAT job with macro shooting, including several built-in LED lights for the “1CM” mode. The high-speed mode is spectacular, offering an equivalent of 120 frames a second. Water proof, hell yeah! It worked perfect in the thunder-storm I was caught in yesterday.

The camera is light compared to the DSLRs I am used to carrying. I carry a camera all the time, and with this dedication I also expect the camera to perform to pro-levels. The Pentax is not a “pro” camera although it is a viable tool for a professional. It is a versatile tool with a special place in my heart because of its variety of macro modes- including high-speed shooting and built-in LED lights. This makes getting photos while 1 centimeter away from your subject easy. Shooting insects at a distance of 1 centimeter at 120 frames a second is good stuff! Play back on the camera’s LED is beautiful.

The video is web friendly and the photos are acceptable for basic capture. There is no raw mode and the images are far from Canon 5D material.

I used Final Cut Pro X for the first time. I edited, from the field, on a 2012, 2GHZ, i7, 8GB, 1600 MHZ, 13 inch Mac Book Air. I have owned more than 20 Macs since 1984. I have been chained to a 17 inch lap top for 4 or 5 years (traveled to 70+ countries). This 13 inch Mac Book Air, FCP X and Aperture 3 combination is AMAZING. I have directed/produced/edited more than a thousand projects including 3 feature films and dozens of TV shows, this set up it the bee’s knees. Don’t hesitate to make the switch to the Mac Air and FCP X. I watched tutorials on youtube and was able to pick it up in a day.

Back to the Pentax – If you love macro photography, this camera is a must. The slow motion feature is a treat. If you love cameras and want a small affordable camera that does it ALL, this is the camera for you. The video was cleaned up in FCP X. I was not happy about the footage at first, but with minor tweaks in FCP X, I think the piece turned out nice for 680×480.

The photos below were captured with a Samsung Galaxy note. I was shooting this grasshopper and he decided to on board the camera.